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Character Design Artist Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Human Computer Lab

Character Artist

San Francisco, CA · On-site

$142K - $149K/yr

What to expect We're looking for a character artist to help define how LeLamp looks, moves, and ... Design expressive motion - gestures, "emotional" states, and behaviors expressed through movement ...

Netflix

Character Designer- Ink

Los Gatos, CA

$69.71/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... artist-led environment. Through research, design exploration, conversations, and collaboration, the Character Designer will work with the creative leads to develop characters' attitudes ...

Netflix

Character Designer- Ink

Los Gatos, CA · On-site

$69.71/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... artist-led environment. Through research, design exploration, conversations, and collaboration, the Character Designer will work with the creative leads to develop characters' attitudes ...

Netflix

Character Designer- Ink

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$69.71/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... artist-led environment. Through research, design exploration, conversations, and collaboration, the Character Designer will work with the creative leads to develop characters' attitudes ...

Netflix

Character Designer- Ink

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$69.71/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... artist-led environment. Through research, design exploration, conversations, and collaboration, the Character Designer will work with the creative leads to develop characters' attitudes ...

Netflix

Character Designer- Ink

Los Angeles, CA

$69.71/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

  • Retirement

  • PTO

... artist-led environment. Through research, design exploration, conversations, and collaboration, the Character Designer will work with the creative leads to develop characters' attitudes ...

Naughty Dog

Senior Character Artist

Santa Monica, CA

$135K - $142K/yr

The Character Art team is looking for a highly technical and artistic Senior Character Artist to ... Work with artists, technical artists, and engineers to design, implement and maintain new workflows ...

Naughty Dog

Senior Character Artist

Santa Monica, CA · On-site

$69.09 - $86.35/hr

  • Medical

  • Dental

  • Vision

The Character Art team is looking for a highly technical and artistic Senior Character Artist to ... Work with artists, technical artists, and engineers to design, implement and maintain new workflows ...

AGBO

Expression of Interest - Character Artist

Los Angeles, CA · On-site

$130K - $136K/yr

The Character Artist will be responsible for creating highly realistic and expressive character ... They will collaborate with a team of artists and developers to conceptualize, design, and execute ...

TrueShort

Reference Designer

Los Angeles, CA · On-site +1

... artists with strong visual taste, storytelling instincts, and an understanding of how to design assets that translate effectively into AI generation pipelines. Responsibilities * Design character ...

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All JobsCharacter Design Artist JobsCharacter Design Artist Jobs in California

Character Design Artist information

See California salary details

$103.1K

$119K

$126.8K

How much do character design artist jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 20, 2026, the average yearly pay for character design artist in California is $118,952.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $119,400.00 and $125,300.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is a character design artist?

A Character Design Artist creates the visual appearance of characters for animation, video games, comics, and other media. They develop personalities, costumes, and expressions that align with the story and artistic direction. This role requires strong drawing skills, creativity, and an understanding of anatomy and design principles. Character Design Artists often collaborate with writers, animators, and directors to bring unique and memorable characters to life.

What are the typical daily responsibilities of a character design artist?

A Character Design Artist typically spends their day sketching and developing concepts, refining character turnarounds, and collaborating with art directors, animators, and writers to ensure designs align with the project's narrative. They may attend team meetings to pitch ideas or receive feedback, revise artwork based on input, and prepare detailed model sheets or style guides for production teams. The role often requires balancing creative exploration with meeting deadlines and design specifications. Working closely with other departments is common, making teamwork and adaptability crucial to the workflow.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive in the character design artist position, and why are they important?

To excel as a Character Design Artist, you need strong drawing skills, creativity, and a solid understanding of anatomy and color theory, often supported by a degree in art, illustration, or animation. Proficiency in industry-standard digital tools like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and 3D modeling software such as Blender or ZBrush is typically expected. Strong communication, teamwork, and the ability to accept and integrate feedback make an artist stand out in collaborative environments. These skills ensure that character concepts not only meet creative briefs but also seamlessly fit within broader visual storytelling projects.

How do you become a character design artist?

To become a character design artist, you typically need a strong foundation in art and illustration, often gained through a degree in fine arts, animation, or related fields. Developing a portfolio that showcases your character concepts, mastering digital tools like Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator, and gaining experience through internships or freelance work are important steps in building a career in this field.

How much does a character design artist make?

The average salary for a character design artist varies depending on experience, location, and industry, but typically ranges from $40,000 to $80,000 per year. Freelance artists may charge hourly rates from $20 to $100 or more, depending on their skill level and project complexity. Proficiency in digital tools like Photoshop or Illustrator and a strong portfolio can influence earning potential.

What do character design artists do?

Character design artists create visual representations of characters for various media such as video games, animation, and comics. They develop concepts, sketches, and detailed illustrations, often using digital tools like Photoshop or Illustrator, to establish a character's appearance, personality, and style. Strong drawing skills, creativity, and understanding of anatomy and storytelling are essential for this role.

What are the most commonly searched types of Character Design Artist jobs in California?

The most popular types of Character Design Artist jobs in California are:

What are popular job titles related to Character Design Artist jobs in California?

For Character Design Artist jobs in California, the most frequently searched job titles are:

What job categories do people searching Character Design Artist jobs in California look for?

The top searched job categories for Character Design Artist jobs in California are:

Character Design Artist jobs near you
Infographic showing various Character Design Artist job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 91% Full Time, 6% Part Time, and 3% Contract. Highlights an 82% Physical, 5% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $118,952 per year, or $57.2 per hour.

Character Artist

Human Computer Lab

San Francisco, CA • On-site

$142K - $149K/yr

Full-time

Posted 16 days ago

Job description

Human Computer Lab is a research lab building character robots that feel alive and responsive. Our first robot, LeLamp, explores a new category of consumer robotics where everyday objects become interactive and help us reshape our attachment to technology.
Our goal is to push the frontier of human-robot interaction by making technology more legible, emotionally intuitive, and human-centered. We are building the foundation for a new generation of robots designed for everyday environments.
What to expect
We're looking for a character artist to help define how LeLamp looks, moves, and feels - the visual and expressive language that makes a robot read as alive rather than mechanical. You'll work on everything from early concept sketches and mood boards to the motion, gesture, and lighting cues that give the robot its personality, translating character intent into something the hardware and software teams can actually build and ship. This role requires tight, fast-cycling collaboration with electrical, mechanical, and software teams - character decisions here don't stay on paper, they become motor curves, timing, and light behavior. You'll work closely with the CEO and founding team to shape the character identity of LeLamp and the robots that follow.
In this role, you will:
  • Create concept art, mood boards, and character studies that define LeLamp's personality and visual identity.
  • Collaborate with the hardware team on form factor, silhouette, materials, and color to keep the physical design aligned with the character.
  • Design expressive motion - gestures, "emotional" states, and behaviors expressed through movement, light, and sound.
  • Prototype and iterate quickly, moving between sketches, renders, and physical mockups.
  • Partner with robotics and software engineers to translate character intent into concrete behavior parameters (motion curves, timing, lighting cues).
  • Build and maintain style guides and a character bible to keep the robot's expression consistent as the team grows.
  • Review hardware and software prototypes against the character vision and give clear, actionable feedback.
  • Support brand and marketing assets to keep the character consistent across every touchpoint.

You may be a good fit if you:
  • Are pursuing a degree in screen-writing, animation, character design, industrial design, or a related field - or have equivalent hands-on portfolio experience.
  • Have a portfolio that shows character design or expressive design work, in 2D or 3D.
  • Document clearly and can explain the reasoning behind a design choice, not just the choice itself.
  • Are comfortable iterating quickly, moving from rough sketch to testable prototype without waiting for a perfect brief.
  • Are genuinely interested in physical products, not just screen-based or purely digital characters.

You will be a strong fit, if you:
  • Have designed characters or mascots that had to work within real hardware or physical constraints, not just on a screen.
  • Understand core animation principles (timing, weight, squash and stretch, anticipation) and know how to translate them into motors, servos, and lighting.
  • Are comfortable collaborating directly with engineers, turning an abstract sense of "feel" into concrete specs they can build against.
  • Move quickly through iteration cycles and don't wait for perfect information to make progress.
  • Take ownership over your work end to end, from first sketch to a behavior that's live in the robot.
  • Work well in small, collaborative teams where character, electrical, and mechanical are in constant conversation.
  • Care about what the character enables: warmth, expressiveness, and the feeling that the robot is alive.

The early team becomes the DNA of the company. We set ourselves and others to a high standard, and we respond with kindness when things get hard but keep everyone accountable. This requires us to be curious, creative, and diverse in our thinking and approach.
We're proud to be an equal opportunity employer and consider all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, national origin, genetics, disability, age, or veteran status. Even if you don't meet every single requirement, we encourage you to apply. Studies show that women and underrepresented groups often hold back unless they meet 100% of the criteria - we don't want that to be the reason we miss out on great talent.

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